Lucy Renshall continued her impressive recent form to win gold at the Baku Grand Slam today whilst Kelly Petersen-Pollard continues to impress in her debut year on the IJF World Tour by winning bronze. Adding to the silver medal won by Chelsie Giles on the opening day.
Following an opening round bye, Lucy Renshall produced a great piece of progressive newaza to defeat Gabriella Moraes (BRA) to win her Pool and progress safely to the Semi-Finals where she faced Katharina Haecker (AUS).
Haecker was awarded three penalty shidos in the Semi-Final handing victory and a place in the Final to Renshall, where she faced Gankhaich Bold (MGL).
In the closing stages of the contest, Renshall trusted in her ability in newaza again to hold her opponent down for 20 seconds and claim her second Grand Slam gold medal of the year.
Kelly Petersen-Pollard was narrowly defeated in her Quarter-Final contest against Millena Silva (BRA), a waza-ari score in the closing seconds of the contest enough to see the Brazilian through to the Semi-Finals whilst Petersen-Pollard progressed to the Repechage for a change to fight in the bronze medal contest.
A single waza-ari score was enough to see Petersen-Pollard defeat Gunel Hasanli (AZE) to book her place in the bronze medal match and face Julie Hoelterhoff (GER).
Petersen-Pollard registered a seoi-nage in the opening minute for waza-ari score with a second waza-ari coming in the final 40-seconds to claim the bronze medal, and her first at a Grand Slam event.